Yuletide Glow
by Nadare
Summary: "Kara fetched the box of ornaments, stopping to slip off the plastic cover once she'd returned to the tree. She kneeled down beside Alice, letting her pick out a few red ones, watching as Alice placed them on the lowest branches of the tree with the greatest of care." A Christmas Eve one shot with Kara/Luther as the main pairing amidst family fluff.


_A/N: This fic came out of trying to write something out of my comfort zone and I'm pleased with how well it came out. I hope you guys enjoy it and may your holiday season be great!_

[Written on and off from 11-29-18 to 12-23-18]

Tags: Family Feels, Holidays, Sleigh Ride, Mistletoe, Snow, Christmas Fluff, Canada, Post-Pacifist Best Ending, Pre-Relationship, First Kiss, AO3 FB Challenge, One Shot.

* * *

" _ **Yuletide Glow"**_

"Higher, Kara."

She gently lifted Alice upward, past the middle portion of the tree. She stretched out her arms, Alice's fingers clutched around a golden plastic angel. The bottom of the topper was hollow, Alice finally getting enough leverage to get the edge of the figure over the top of the tree. It balanced out in seconds, its angelic features calm and cheerful.

Kara carefully put Alice down on the floor. "Would you like to put on the ornaments now?" she asked, glancing at the unopened box of them sitting on the window sill next to them. Alice had insisted on dressing the tree first before adding ornaments.

"Yes." The easy smile that blossomed on Alice's face was still new to Kara. It was as if as soon as they crossed the Canadian border, she'd left the past behind and was determined to enjoy the new start providence had provided them. "The red ones first."

"Why?"

"They're my favorite." Kara fetched the box of ornaments, stopping to slip off the plastic cover once she'd returned to the tree. She kneeled down beside Alice, letting her pick out a few red ones, watching as she placed them on the lowest branches of the tree with the greatest of care.

Kara decorated the highest part, the pair of them meeting in the middle. When the last ornament hung securely, she stood back, Alice coming beside her. The lights twinkled, in an endless loop, the tree decked out in as much Christmas cheer as they could afford.

Stockings hung off a mantle nearby, full of small gifts Kara had bought in the weeks leading up to December. She placed a hand on Alice's shoulder, looking at her. "What do you think?"

"It's so pretty."

Kara chuckled. "I'm glad it meets with your approval."

"When's Luther coming home?"

Kara looked at the clock. "Any time now." Though they'd been hesitant of him at first at the construction company, Luther was surprisingly popular among his coworkers, which likely came down to his willingness to help out others when they were in a tight spot. Kara hoped he hadn't gotten waylaid by them again.

Moving to the coffee table, Alice grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. A small blond boy raced home on screen, the rich soundtrack from the popular holiday movie filling the apartment. It was one Alice had watched before, but she happily settled on the couch to view it again.

Twenty minutes later, the sound of the front door unlocking echoed throughout the small apartment. Kara immediately got up, waving back Alice who'd started to move from her seat.

"Did you get it?" she asked Luther in the entranceway. He held up a small white envelope in response. She stepped closer and hugged him out of sheer appreciation, Kara's face coming to rest against his broad chest. Luther was slow to react but gave Kara a little squeeze after a minute.

Kara retreated with a nervous smile. "Alice will love it."

"I certainly hope so," he replied, unzipping his coat and hanging it in the closet. He walked into the living room and Alice immediately jumped to her feet, running to hug Luther.

He lifted her off the floor, holding Alice against his side. His gaze roamed over the fully decorated Christmas tree and he lightly jostled Alice as he glanced back at her. "You two have been busy."

She gave out a little laugh, beaming with pride as Luther lowered her to the floor. Getting down to her level, Luther crouched before Alice.

"I have a present for you."

Curiosity and anticipation crossed Alice's features in equal measure. "What?"

Pulling the white envelope from his back pocket, Luther opened it and took out three tickets. The red and green paper was telling.

"What would you say to a sleigh ride?"

The delight on Alice's face was all the answer they needed.

* * *

 _Two weeks later…_

As the pair of draft horses started forward, melodious sleigh bells beginning to jingle, Kara briefly rocked against Luther's side, her hands underneath a thick fleece blanket that covered both their laps, warding off the worst of the cold.

Alice sat in the seat in front of them, bundled up in her own heavy blanket, her head moving around excitedly as she took in the untouched wintry landscape around them.

It was a beautifully clear Christmas Eve night, the sky overhead full of an array of brightly shining stars. Having anticipated the event for so long, Alice was spellbound, struck silent as the sleigh gradually traversed what looked to be a well-worn trail.

Before long, the snow-capped trees and wide-open fields gave way to pavement and civilization, the sleigh moving into the center of a small town where lights of every color and size decorated homely storefronts and nearly every tree in view.

A Christmas tree of massive height situated in the town square was the centerpiece, the sleigh driver allowing them to get out and appreciate the spectacle up close. Alice grabbed Luther and Kara's hands, pulling them forward in excitement, letting go after a moment.

She stared up in wonder at the tree once they'd stopped a few feet away, the bright lights reflecting in her eyes. Kara looked to Luther who smiled at her.

 _~This was a very good idea.~_ His voice was steady inside her head and she nodded, silently agreeing with him.

 _~Thank you again for getting the tickets,~_ Kara replied softly. _~I know it wasn't easy and we should have saved the money for other things, but…~_

Luther shook his head. _~It's our first Christmas together as a family. Doing something special to mark the occasion is only natural.~_

Warmth grew inside Kara's chest, grateful that she and Alice had decided to take a chance back in Detroit and trust Luther. Their lives had definitely changed for the better as a result.

"Care for a commemorative photo?" The driver, Ted, asked, holding up an old Polaroid camera.

"Yes, please," Kara said, moving Alice in front of her and Luther. For his part, Luther placed an arm around Kara's waist, placing a hand on Alice's shoulder.

Ted counted down from three, then the camera went off, nosily processing the image after a moment. The film spit itself out of the front of the camera and Ted handed the slowly developing photo to Alice. "Shake it for a bit."

Her brow narrowing in concentration, Alice did just that as they made their way back to the sleigh. She abruptly twisted around in her seat, looking excited as Alice held out the small photo.

They were all smiling, the Christmas lights behind them giving the photo a warm glow. It was one more pleasant memory in their new life together. Unexpectedly, Kara felt tears in her eyes, Alice frowning in confusion at their appearance.

"What's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing," Kara replied, wiping them away as she sniffed quietly. "Everything's perfect."

Alice nodded, but still looked perplexed as she turned around to face the front again. Luther's hand underneath the blanket next to Kara moved, softly taking her fingers in his.

The sleigh lurched back into action, beginning to retrace its path back to the small farm.

The small sugar shack was warm and cozy, the open fire burning in the room fast to dispel the remnants of the cold night. Alice sipped on hot cider, sitting on a bench before the fire, Luther sitting by her.

"Where'd you come from?" Ted asked idly, leaning up against the table where refreshments and a small collection of sweets were resting.

Kara saw no reason to lie, especially since they lived in the most populous province of the country. "Ontario."

"Oh, so not far then."

A tugging motion on the edge of her coat made Kara look down, finding that Alice's cup of cider was empty and she looked much refreshed. "Ready to go?"

Alice nodded, reaching into her coat pockets for a hat and gloves. Luther wasn't far behind. Kara turned back to Ted. "Thank you very much for the pleasant evening."

Ted ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was my pleasure." He moved away from them, heading towards the fire nearby.

Kara bumped into Luther on the way out of the sugar shack, instantly apologizing for the trouble. He gently put a hand on her shoulder. Alice giggled next to them and Kara glanced towards her questioningly. "What?"

"Aren't you guys going to kiss?"

Luther raised an eyebrow, glancing above them where a sprig of mistletoe hung in the doorway above them.

"It is tradition, you know," Ted called out, a mischievous look on his face.

Luther spun them away from Ted, then put up the furred hood of his coat so the man couldn't see their faces. _~Is it all right?~_

Kara put her arms around Luther. The solid strength of him was reassuring. She could think of no one else she trusted or felt safer with, more. _~Of course.~_

Looking slightly nervous, Luther slowly leaned down. Kara licked her lips before Luther very gently pressed his mouth against hers. A tingling surge of heat swept through her body, Kara's sensors reacting to Luther's, picking up his own reaction of immediate tightness and broadcasting back to her in a feedback loop.

The hand that had been loose at his side rose to clutch at Kara's waist as Luther's grip on her shoulder tightened. Kara pressed closer to him, nearly overwhelmed by the sensations of experiencing the kiss both ways. She was disappointed when Luther finally took a step back, breaking off from her, satisfaction and surprise in his expression.

"That was very nice," he said quietly, his hands dropping from Kara's body reluctantly.

Still a bit dazed by the kiss, Kara chuckled. "Yes, it was." She touched her chin, making sure her skin had gone back to normal. "If you'd like, we could continue it later." Kara's stomach did a small jerk when Luther smiled at her lightly.

 _~I wouldn't mind.~_ Knowing she was responding in kind, Kara reached out for Alice, taking her hand. Luther took her other one silently. "Who's ready to go home and open presents?"

"Me!" Alice said instantly, eagerness making her move a bit faster.

They walked back to the car, more ready than ever to spend the rest of the holiday season together.


End file.
